Make Your Art No Matter What

Moving Beyond Creative Hurdles

By: Beth Pickens

Narrated by: Beth Pickens

The Artist's Way for the 21st century—from esteemed creative counselor Beth Pickens.

If you are an artist, you need to make your art. That's not an overstatement—it's a fact; if you stop doing your creative work, your quality of life is diminished. But what do you do when life gets in the way? In this down-to-earth handbook, experienced artist coach Beth Pickens offers practical advice for developing a lasting and meaningful artistic practice in the face of life's inevitable obstacles and distractions. This thoughtful volume suggests creative ways to address the challenges all artists must overcome—from making decisions about time, money, and education, to grappling with isolation, fear, and anxiety. No matter where you are in your art-making journey, this book will motivate and inspire you. Because not only do you need your art—the world needs it, too.

• EXPERT ADVICE: Beth Pickens is an experienced and passionate arts advocate with extensive insight into working through creative obstacles. She has spent the last decade advising artists on everything from financial strategy to coping with grief.
• PRACTICAL AND POSITIVE: This book is both a love letter to art and artists and a hands-on guide to approaching the thorniest problems those artists might face. Pickens offers a warm reminder that you are not alone, that what you do matters, and that someone out there wants you to succeed.
• TIMELESS TOPIC: Like a trusted advisor, this book is an invaluable resource jam-packed with strategies for building a successful creative practice. From mixing business and friendship to marketing yourself on social media, this book can help. And it will—again and again.

Perfect for:

• Visual artists and makers
• Writers, musicians, filmmakers, and other creatives
• Art and design school graduates and grad-gift givers

Excellent

While I’m not in the LGBTQ community (though I did live in West Hollywood), I found Beth’s book excellent, full of real practical advice for any artist and a book I will return to again in the future. Many thanks Beth!

Excellent Book for all us questioning our desire to create

Once in a while we happen upon a book that applies to us and impacts our lives at the deepest level, thank you Beth Pickens

good not great

tailored primarily to full time or full blown artists who live and breathe art, use art as a firm if self help or therapy (a compliance need to always be creating) or for people who are artists as their paid career. it didn't offer much for the average Joe who works a non artist job as their source of income, didn't get and isn't interested in getting an art degree, and is simply looking for tools, advice and ideas on how to incorporate making art more into their daily lives, different forms of art you could easily incorporate into your already busy lives, different art forms that are fun and beneficial for different types of people looking to express their creativity in ways outside of the typical common forms of art, etc. was very therapist heavy as well in ways that didn't seem applicable to art and lowkey artists

This was very helpful

This book was really good I had some issues with my audible app/ phone that had nothing to do with the book. I got some valuable advice thanks

Calling All Artist- This Book Is Necessary

I felt like the author knew me. She hit every point of my life as a visual artist. Every chapter peeled back more and more the life of an artist that many don’t understand. It was insightful exposing, how being an artist is not an easy life but creating is something we have to do. I suggest more Artist read or audio this book. You will enjoy it